by Richard Seifried
Signal Hill Musings
April, 2009
One of our favorite raptors is the red-tailed hawk (buteo jamaicensis).
The species lives throughout most of North America, even far into Alaska and Canada and deep into Mexico. Ornithologists declare that the species can alter its body chemicals so that it can withstand severe below zero temperatures. Of course, insects can do that. Deer pen up in deep snow and lower their body temperatures so that they keep their energy and do not freeze to death. I believe that people have the capacity to do that too, but we just don’t realize the capability and are unable to do so under normal conditions. The little Amish girl, a month or so ago, withstood severe temperatures when she fell off a sled and was lost. Although she had lost a shoe, the little girl simply scrunched up in a fetal position and was none the worse for wear when she was found hours later.
Many of us who border on spirituality, including me, often recognize a protective element that the red-tailed hawk is able to employ to help us in times of need. When I travel, it is often there, on a wire, at the top of a tree, or soaring above me, and my reaction is a broad smile and a feeling that everything will be okay.
The other day I observed two turkey vultures (cathartes aura) as they glided around and around observing a pair of red-tails doing loops and spiraling around, performing their sexual courtship dance. Wonderful.
Quite a few years ago my daughter Julie took up yoga. One weekend she attended a yoga camp in the hills of Pennsylvania.
There, a red-tailed hawk attached itself to Julie. When it came time for Julie to climb up high and cling to a heavy rope or cable and work her way across to the far end, something that was a little dangerous and that Julie was very nervous about, the hawk lit in a nearby tree and watched her, as if sending Julie confidence that she would succeed.
The camp staff even recognized the relationship that had developed between Julie and the raptor.
Toward the end of her stay, Julie entered the sweat lodge for meditation. After a while, a staff person stuck her head inside and said, “Julie, your friend is outside.” Sure enough the lovely hawk sat in a nearby tree until Julie emerged from the sweat lodge, safe and sound.
If we would just pay more attention, we would find that much of the natural world is trying to help us in some way. And I think all of us could use a little help.
